Partner Updates

Posts in Middle East

Syria Appeal - May 2017

Syria Appeal - May 2017

I live in Atlanta and, like most Americans who spend a lot of time in their cars, I am well aware of how long it takes to drive to other cities where I sometimes go for work or even vacation: it is about a four-hour drive, north and west, to get to Nashville; in the other direction, it is about four hours east and south to get to historic Savannah. I was recently in Hasakeh, Syria, where that “four hours away” analysis recalled an unsettling reality: four hours to the west was Raqqa, the self-proclaimed “capital” of ISIS in Syria; four hours to the east was Mosul where, even now, the Iraqi army is attempting to drive out ISIS from the city they had hoped would be their “capital” in Iraq. Connecting Raqqa and Mosul is a swath of fertile farmland where, in the middle, stands the city of Hasakeh, smack dab in the center of the area which was targeted to be the “heartland” of a new ISIS caliphate.

If you were a Christian living in Hasakeh, and in such proximity to danger, would you be “too close for comfort”?

Important News, Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationMay 23, 2017Syria Appeal, Syria

Syria Appeal

Syria Appeal

God with Us

Note: An Outreach team of ten traveled in January to Lebanon and Syria. They visited some of the 18 Presbyterian churches in Syria, meeting with pastors and church members. Jack Baca, an Outreach trustee, reflects on a part of the journey…

One of the key affirmations of Christian faith is that, in Jesus, God came to be with us. The angel said to Joseph that the child to be born would be called precisely that: Immanuel, God with us. We Christians take our clues for how we are to live from what God did and does in Jesus, and so we, too, go to be with others. This is an expression of love: to do what it takes to be with others.

This ancient theology kept running in my mind on Saturday, the second full day of our time in the Middle East, as we spent the better part of the day traveling. Early in the morning we left Beirut for the arduous trip through that bustling city, into the countryside and through farmland, across the border, and into Syria, as we made our way to Latakia, on the coast.

Important News, Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationMarch 17, 2017Syria Appeal, Syria

Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo - March 2017 Update

Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo - March 2017 Update

Dear friends,

Warm greetings from Cairo. We have completed our short January term, when the students have intensive classes over a three week period. During this term, we invite international scholars to come and share their knowledge with our students. In past years, we have had people like Professor Iain Torrance, President Emeritus of Princeton, and Professor Mark Labberton, President of Fuller.

This year we were fortunate to have Professor Jostein and Professor Gerd-Marie Adna from the VID Specialized University in Stavanger, Norway with us. Both of them taught classes to the senior students: Jostein on New Testament and Gerd-Marie on Religious Symbolism. Neither are strangers to ETSC, having visited on a number of occasions in the past. Gerd-Marie first came to Cairo in 1985 to study Arabic and stayed for just under a year. During this time, she found the seminary library a haven of peace and started to develop a lasting friendship with ETSC. Gerd-Marie married Jostein in 1987, and she introduced him to Cairo in 1990.

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationMarch 9, 2017Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt

Bethlehem Bible College - March 2017 Update

Bethlehem Bible College - March 2017 Update

I was a stranger and you did not take me in, I was naked and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Matthew 25: 43

Dear friends of Bethlehem Bible College,

What we do for one, we do as if we are serving Jesus. This was the mentality of a group of BBC staff who visited the governmental hospital in Bethlehem to spend time with patients in need of dialysis. The staff spent time sitting, talking and laughing alongside those that were undergoing treatment.

This BBC group was the first to visit the dialysis section in the hospital. It was a big room with around twenty-two patients that undergo the process three times a week for five hours each time. In the Bethlehem area alone, there are one hundred patients including children.

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationMarch 2, 2017Bethlehem Bible College, Israel, Palestine, Bethlehem

New Church Development in Egypt - February 2017 Update

New Church Development in Egypt - February 2017 Update

God is at Work in Egypt!

When thinking of contemporary Egypt, several thoughts may come to mind: Arab Spring, Muslim Brotherhood, bombing of Christian churches. Although true, today they are moderated by words only God can make happen: new churches, evangelism, revitalization of old churches, sending out new pastors. That’s what the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Egypt is focusing on through the efforts of the Synod of the Nile.

Currently, there are 392 Presbyterian churches within the Synod, including 95 church plants, or “fellowship groups” as the Synod labels them. In 2016, the Synod started 17 new churches in cities, villages or slums of Egypt. They are also focusing on church revitalizations of old churches in small towns and villages. It is amazing work when considering the vulnerability and marginalization of Christians in Egypt.

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 3, 2017New Church Development in Egypt, Egypt

Schools for Syrian Refugees - January 2017 Update

Schools for Syrian Refugees - January 2017 Update

by Marilyn Borst

There are 1.1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, many of whom have been living in tents in dismal camps for years – and 60% of them are children. In a country of only four million, the Lebanese public schools are able to accommodate just a fraction of these Syrian refugee children. And so, in late 2015, the National Evangelical [Presbyterian] Synod of Syria and Lebanon came up with a vision: open a school for 200 of these children and offer them the Syrian curriculum so that they could both build upon their previous education and be prepared to return to their “normal schools” once the war was

Middle East, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 3, 2017Schools for Syrian Refugees, Lebanon

Syria Appeal

Syria Appeal

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

In this city, which was once a heap of ruin following a three-year siege at the beginning of the war, the women of the Presbyterian Church in Homs could not ignore the needs outside the walls of their church. With so many people displaced from other cities and often with no family or resources, to be sick or wounded was a frightening prospect. And so Micheline Koudmani, wife of Homs’ pastor Rev. Mofid Karajili and president of the Evangelical Women’s Charitable Association of Homs, challenged her organization (which was founded in 1930 at the Presbyterian Church) to minister to those whose needs could not be met adequately by other agencies. With a grant from The Outreach Foundation they began to bring hope and the presence of Christ in lives unraveling...

Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationDecember 19, 2016Syria, Syria Appeal

Bethlehem Bible College - November 2016 Update

Bethlehem Bible College - November 2016 Update

Dear friends of Bethlehem Bible College,

We trust that the end of the year is wrapping up well for you! As the year 2016 comes to an end, we reflect on where we have come from but also plan for where we are headed. The past year has been full of amazing opportunities for BBC to reach out to our community through our students and staff, our faculty and those that partner with us from abroad or by coming and volunteering locally. Our hope and focus is that what is taught and modeled here at BBC will extend beyond the classroom, and that our students will be ambassadors to whatever workplace or ministry they work in on behalf of the kingdom of God.

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 23, 2016Bethlehem Bible College, Bethlehem, Palestine

Palestinian Bible Society - November 2016 Update

Palestinian Bible Society - November 2016 Update

This is the third year that the Palestinian Bible Society carried out one of its biggest programs known as the Bible Day Event. The emphasis this year was on Palestinian youth and the role of the Bible in their lives. The event took place at the Cultural Palace in Ramallah with over 1,000 people attending! “So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” was the title of this special and long anticipated conference, with a focus on three main issues: love God and his word, love your neighbor, and love your country and citizenship. The conference attracted more than 1,000 youth from Palestinian cities ranging from Jenin in the north all the way to Bethlehem in the south.

Projects, Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationNovember 10, 2016Palestinian Bible Society, Palestine

Being Strong and Courageous

Being Strong and Courageous

"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

The church in the Middle East lives by these words of God to Joshua. They are strong and courageous despite their vulnerability. The church in Egypt is no exception. Christians represent only 10% of the population in Egypt, and Presbyterians are only 10% of the 10%! Nonetheless, they are bold in their witness as they live out the gospel message of loving their neighbors, no matter if the neighbors are Christian or Muslim. Whether a large city church or an old rural village church, they know their purpose is to reach out in love to each other and their neighbors.

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 9, 2016Egypt, Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo

Syria Appeal - October 2016 Update

Syria Appeal - October 2016 Update

From Marilyn Borst, Associate Director for Partnership Development: For the past year, your gifts to the Syria Appeal have made it possible for the Presbyterian Church in Homs, Syria to offer a life-giving ministry of reconciliation entitled “Space for Hope” to young people in its war-ravaged neighborhood. Recently, the World Communion of Reformed Churches (www.wcrc.ch) posted an article about this ministry, which we share here with the blessing of its author, Phil Tanis.

Syrian Christians Create Space for Hope

In war-torn Syria, hope is fading for many. After five years of civil war, there are few who have not lost family members or close friends, but life needs to go on for those who are alive, for those who have stayed. They struggle to continue with their lives every day, to study and work, although jobs have become scarce, and to maintain as much normalcy as possible amidst the war and the ever-present threat of attacks, while dreaming about a better future and peace.

Important News, Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationOctober 27, 2016Syria Appeal, Syria, Lebanon

Refugee/IDP Appeal - October 2016 Update

Refugee/IDP Appeal - October 2016 Update

Beauty for Ashes

In a bustling, lower middle-class and predominantly Christian suburb of Beirut, thousands of “brokenhearted” refugees from Iraq and Syria are being “bound up” by ministries which The Outreach Foundation – because of your generous gifts – has helped to support. At the Our Lady Dispensary (OLD), a social service outreach center of the Middle East Council of Churches, social worker Grace Boustani and her small team are impacting the lives of 1,200 families. They come not only for food and medical care, but to participate in educational seminars as well as summer and holiday programs for themselves and their children which offer hope through a reminder that there is abundant life beyond their traumatic circumstances.

Important News, Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationOctober 26, 2016Refugee IDP Appeal, Lebanon

Paying it Forward

Paying it Forward

Have you ever met someone for the first time and instantly you’re drawn to the person, feeling as if he has been your friend for years? That is the way you feel when you meet Dr. Tharwat Wahba.

Dr. Tharwat, as he’s commonly known, is head of the Mission Department at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo (ETSC) and serves as Chair of the Pastoral and Outreach Ministries Council of the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Egypt. He has a deep love and passion for evangelism, the church, and Jesus Christ. His warm and inviting personality makes everyone feel special. And, he is the epitome of the reason for The Outreach Foundation’s existence and mission.

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationSeptember 26, 2016Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt

Stories of Hope

Stories of Hope

There is much in the news about the vulnerability of the Church around the world, where it finds itself persecuted and oppressed in the midst of war and other enormous challenges. It is inspiring and convicting to see how the Body of Christ witnesses to the Good News despite their circumstances. This is the Church of which Paul wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Suffering in God’s name is nothing new. It’s been happening for 2,000 years. Our Lord Jesus, even before he went to the cross for the ultimate in suffering, warned us of persecution.

Important News, Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationSeptember 20, 2016Vulnerable Church

An Invitation to Make a Gift

An Invitation to Make a Gift

At Outreach, we’re honored that God calls us to work with partners around the globe to help bring the gospel message to those in need of his saving grace. With gifts from people like you as well as churches and organizations, we work with our partners to build churches, provide relief to beleaguered Middle Easterners, train evangelists to share the Good News and so much more. But, we cannot do it without your help. Once a year we reach out to ask our donors and friends to help us continue this work. We invite you to make a gift to our annual appeal to continue our work with our global partners. Your gift will make a difference in the lives of people who need to know his love.

Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationSeptember 16, 2016Iran, Sasan Tavassoli, Annual Appeal

Refugee/Internally Displaced Persons Appeal - August 2016 Update

Refugee/Internally Displaced Persons Appeal - August 2016 Update

In a small, aluminum prefab classroom, baking under the relentless summer sun that nurtures the lush vegetable crops for which the nearby Beqaa Valley in Lebanon is famous, hope is being incubated. 40 young Syrian Muslim women, mostly refugees from Aleppo and some of them mothers and widows, are learning to sew. Izdihar Kassis, a local pastor’s wife and a dynamo for Christ’s Kingdom, has run several faith-based non-profits and has now created Together for the Family to address the refugee crisis.

Important News, Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationAugust 25, 2016Refugee IDP Appeal, Refugee crisis, Middle East

Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo - August 2016 Update

Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo - August 2016 Update

Greetings in Christ’s name from an exceptionally hot Cairo! The seminary has become quieter with most of the students away on their summer internships, so it is a good time to look back and reflect on the busy end-of-session period. Amid all the excitement and preparation for graduation in May, the ETSC community received a double blow as it learned of the deaths of Jack Lorimer and, two weeks later, Ken Bailey. Both were missionary giants, who in their different ways made an immense impact on the life of the Egyptian Church and indeed internationally.

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationAugust 18, 2016Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Refugee/IDP Appeal - July 2016 Update

Refugee/IDP Appeal - July 2016 Update

by Marilyn Borst

In the midst of multiple crises unfolding in the Middle East, The Outreach Foundation has used your generous gifts to strengthen the hands of Christian partners in the region. They are the face of Christ to many who have lost everything…
JORDAN
Siham and Jeries Abd Rabbo are a Palestinian couple from Bethlehem who are serving Muslim refugees on behalf of the Shepherd Society – the mission outreach of Bethlehem Bible College.

Important News, Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJuly 7, 2016Refugee IDP Appeal, Middle East, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan